Identity Theft

In the United States, identity (ID) theft occurs every four seconds, and Washington State ranks 14th out of the 50 states in the reported rate of identity theft. The Federal Trade Commission reports that Washington residents reported 5,855 incidents of identity theft in 2008. It is one of the fastest growing crimes in America.

I am committed to combating ID theft in King County and throughout the state. I co-chair, with Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson, Washington’s Law Enforcement Group Against Identity Theft (LEGIT), a statewide coalition of investigators focused on ID theft prevention, education, and legislative reform. I served in this role with former Attorney General Rob McKenna as well.

In King County, I have partnered with police and financial institutions to develop a more regional and coordinated approach to tackle this troubling crime. Together, we have formed “ID Tip,” a taskforce designed to share investigative information that allows police and prosecutors identify and target King County’s “top-ten most wanted” list of offenders.

Today, 200 Americans likely will die from a drug overdose. Most of them will die alone.

The government’s modern-day response to our nation’s overdose epidemic has been woefully inadequate. Rather than relying on medical science, our leaders have been influenced by the same misguided approaches that undergirded the “war on drugs” in the 1980s — fear, stigma and racism.

We need a smarter strategy that reduces harm and saves lives. This starts with prosecutors ending the criminal crackdown on drug users — pushing for treatment instead of pressing charges; encouraging law enforcement to change street approaches; and, most of all,…

My family's personal experience with addiction taught me a lot about what it takes to help end the cycle of substance abuse that too often spirals into criminal activity. Getting people help instead of handcuffs also reduces recidivism and the cost to society as a whole.